There was a lot of ground to cover in a one-on-one sitdown today with Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert, his first extensive interview since the 2011 season ended with a win over the Indianapolis Colts three months ago.

Gabbert, who is coming off a rookie season in which he was highly criticized for a 4-10 record, an NFL-low 65.4 quarterback rating and a medioce 50.8 percent accuracy, didn't shy away from any topic, including the team's effort to acquire Tim Tebow in a trade that ultimately landed the popular quarterback with the New York Jets.

Here's a sampling of a little bit of everything Gabbert had to say, some of which can also be found in my Tuesday column in the Times-Union and on jacksonville.com.

On why he trained last month at Athletes Performance Institute in Penscaola: "I had trained before the NFL Combine last year at API in Arizona and totally forgot they had one in Pensacola. I was there for two weeks. They push you hard, so it was good. I worked out with Cortland Finnegan, Packers Pro Bowl guard Josh Sitton, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Moeaki and Brandon Boykin, the DB from Georgia. A lot of Special Forces guys train there as well. It was kind of interesteing to see their training compared to ours. Those guys are just as good an athlete as we are. They're very impressive."

On people making such a big deal about his long hair, which he trimmed slightly and no longer falls beneath his shoulders: "People criticize your hair, which is the most most absurd thing to me. I actually trimmed mine. Hair is hair. It has no effect on how you do your business. You might as well grow it if you have it. Being 22 with a buzz cut, I looked 14. The hair gives me some age."

On baseball star Albert Pujols leaving his beloved St. Louis Cardinals to sign with the Los Angeles Angels: "Pujols made an economical decision. He made an unbelievable contract and he worked for it. More power to a guy who gets paid like that when he deserves it. Selfishly, I would have liked to see him stay in St. Louis."

On how comfortable he is being a vocal leader so early in his career: "You want to tell guys what they're supposed to do. That comes with being a veteran. You don't want to overstep your boundaries. You got to be a leader the right way. I was vocal last year. But there's a time and place and ways to do it. If you got to get on a guy, you do it, but never embarrass him. They want to perform for you as much as you want to perform for them."

On why he went to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. to help promote the Wounded Warrior project and seeing charitable projects related to the military being in his future: "My best friends are in the military. I got three buddies stationed at Fort Benning in Georgia. Honestly, we probably look up to them more than they look up to us."

On if he felt overwhelmed at all during rookie season: "You can always wish and hope for a better outcome when you're looking back on it. At that point and time, I was just focused on going out there week in and week out and trying to play the best football I could. There was no room to make excuses, or to come up with reasons why you did this or that. Looking back on it, I was just happy I owned up to my mistakes."

On how much progress he expects to make in 2012 season: "I know I'm going to improve this year. I've already improved immensely from our last game, just having the chance to review every pass play, every run play, all the checks [at the line of scrimmage] that I had to make. It's going to help in the long run, having that experience in a shortened year."

What did you learn most as a rookie: "Every game is usually close in the NFL.Each game has probably five plays that determine the outcome. We were so close against Carolina, the Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh and Cleveland. You win those games, we're 9-7, 8-8 and feeling a lot better about ourselves than going 5-11. The biggest thing we took from that is you got to make those plays and you don't know when they're going to come. They're spread out throughout the game. You just got to prepare because you don't know when that opportunity is going to present itself."

On frustration of receivers coach being fired, quarterbacks coach Mike Shepard moving to coach receivers: "It wasn't fun having all the shuffling going around, but at the same time, I was still under the tutelage of Dirk [Koetter, offensive coordinator]. He was still taking care of the quarterbacks. We were still getting the same feedback, the same coaching, just because Dirk was always in our meetings."

On why things will be better for him at quarterback in 2012: "I will have a [normal] preseason under my belt. I was here six days last year and then I started against the Patriots in the first preseason game. That was pretty wild. Now I have a chance to look back, watch the tape and see what you can improve on. Now that we have our new coaching staff in place, there's consistency in the building. They're going to be here for a while. It's nice because they care about you, they want all our players to succeed. You could see that right away when we first met Mike Mularkey and the coaches.They're sincere people and want to win ballgames. So do we."

On learning to play through injuries, including an unspecified foot injury that Gabbert revealed he endured for the last 12 games after suffering hidden injury against Cincinnati: "A lot of fans don't know what injuries you have, or what things go on. It doesn't matter if you have a broken this or sprained that. Everybody has those at some point and time. It's your job to be out there playing.

"I continued rehabbing [the foot] through the offseason, for a good part of February."

On Tim Tebow frenzy and his reaction to the Jaguars nearly acquiring him in a trade: "One thing I'd say is I thinnk the media took it and ran with it. A lot of people probably didn't know the facts at hand. [General manager] Gene Smith and Mike [Mularkey] kept all of us quarterbacks extremely informed on what was going on. We knew it was going to sort itself out. We weren't too worried about it. He ended up with the Jets. He made that decision. I'm sure he'll do great there."

On being guarded in his comments to the media during 2011 season, not saying anything too revealing: "That's how a lot of quarterbacks are with the media. It's our job to kind of police the locker room, police the information that gets out there so you don't have internal turmoil. You don't want that going on in your locker room. You want to have a good group of guys. What I told you guys [in media] last year was 100 percent true. It was on me, being the quarterback. The lack of execution [his often-repeated phrase] covers a lot of things. We didn't score enough points. We didn't convert enough third downs. We didn't score enough in the red zone. It's just a general way of saying that."

On the team acquiring free agent receiver Laurent Robinson: "Laurent is going to do a great job helping this team. He had a great year last season in Dallas. He's eager to do it again. He's another weapon we're going to be able to use. I just met him in person today for the first time. He's a great guy."

On Gene Smith having so much confidence in him being the franchise quarterback despite a lot of skeptics: "It's great. But with him having confidence in me, I have to go show that on the field. I got to produce for him."

"GaJag", Don't expect calls for Tebow as a Jaguar to end. (At least as long as the Jags are in Florida.) And why should they? Yes, it's louder with Tebow than most. But every hometown team calls for their own to come play there. IMO, that shouldn't change.

Professional Sports has FAR too much of that "It's a Business" junk surrounding it already. Anything that says "No, it's Not. And if it is, call us Customers and not Fans", is fine with me.

As for Sunshine, he's just the latest in a growing stream of Big12 QBs who have gotten shell-shocked when they came up to a League that still hits. Eventually, NFL teams are going to realize that the Big12 has become a 7-on-7 flag football conference and either stop using high draft picks on QBs (and possibly RBs) or begin considering them long-term projects and give them time to get used, not just to the speed, but also the contact.

Post Crypt: To blame Blaine Gabbert for 5-11 isn't correct, nor is blaming the OL, WR's or TE's. Same for JDR, he worked with the players GS acquired. As I have repeatedly said, blame will get us nowhere. Forward looking solutions is the only hope the fans can bank on. Herein lies the problem, GS failed BG, the fans, the players, and JDR. This is what the GM position is responsible for at most NFL franchises. It's miraculous that in the same year Indy loses PM and we lose Garrard( record setting in passing). Indy and Jax both sink to new lows. GS is given a three year extension while Polian gets fired?
The blame is on GS, BG is tied to GS, and WW gives the new owner a BIG LIABILITY by extending GS's contract 3 years. Thanks, WW. The problem is, GS takes no responsibility, blaming JDR. Blaming injuries. Who will be blamed next?
The fans and local media drink the spin, repeat the mantras, and GS is not held accountable, by fans, media or the new owner. Instead the attention is now thrown on BG, Mularkey and TT. LOL
If we are to play the blame game let's start with the fans. This town has a fan base lacking backbone. They follow like sheep, protect like a nursing mother, and fail to call out the management. After drafting exclusively on defense, they praise GS for his FA acquisitions that make the defense better. How many FA's???
Then, after expecting a few good players on offense from FA this year... LOL Where is the dismay? Fans, why are you reviving the same ole colors? Teal, smeal, same ole deal.
The media. you are important. Poynter Institute would be better served by objectivity. The 2 more years for GS article states it would be fair. LOL Fair to whom? Polian should have gotten 20 more years if GS gets 2 years!!! Come on, let's be fair media. Quit white washing his draft picks, making excuses using IR and Garrard as scapegoats for GS failing to have a complete plan for the most important position on the field. Be fair to the fans and show some moxy. You can get into the Club Area w/o GS's help. Alot of us, since we decided not to renew Season Tickets, can pick em up for 1/2 price 30 mins. before the game! Media, be FAIR to Gabbert! To the fans! (National media doesn't waste their time with us)
The owner. Is he being honest with us? Does the tail wag the dog? Part of growing up is taking responsibility for your actions and inactions. Demonstrated failures, repeating blunders and disfunction are symptoms of not owning up!

Gabbert needs to sell his wares to the team, showing them he can stand in and complete a pass or two. TT did it (see Pitt game). TT had recievers with NO SEPARATION, bought time and hurled completions that were thrown to the only place that was catchable while not interceptable. Blaine didn't.
This is what garners respect and admiration for TT. From fans, coaches and players. Excuses and blame won't get him anywhere, but learning to blame others from Gene Smith and the T/U is making a few of you timid. Urgency is what is needed, from the owner, GM, HC and team. The fans need to push the point, the T/U needs to publish it and moreover the team must respond.